Ski Canada - BC

Welcome to the Ski Canada page providing a regular round-up of the skiing conditions and current snow reports for the main Canadian ski resorts. Over recent years some of the best piste conditions averaged over several seasons have been reported at Big White, Sunshine Village, Kicking Horse and Sun Peaks. However, during any given week in the ski season the best slope conditions may be found at any of the great Canadian resorts. For off-piste powder, Big White, Silver Star, Sunshine Village and Kicking Horse have proven pretty consistent either because of low average temperatures, sun aspect, snowfall or because they may be slow to get tracked out.

Many of the other Canadian resorts regularly come to the fore during the season as the best off-piste destination so check out the snow reports below for current ski conditions.

Notably, the west coast resorts such as Whistler and Fernie often receive the greatest snowfalls during single storm events and spread over the season. The ski resorts in British Colombia generally experience milder weather than those further east thanks to their relatively close proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Westerly winds brought in by Pacific storms can produce heavy snowfalls, although the powder can be quite heavy. Further east in the country, the temperatures are significantly colder and conditions are ideal for those chasing the famous dry 'champagne' powder snow.

Canada is one of the world’s leading ski nations with more than 300 ski areas spread across the country over four time zones with Canadian ski resorts in every province.

The ski areas range from the world’s leading heli-ski region of BC (British Columbia) in the West of the country to the four small to mid-sized areas of Nova Scotia on the Atlantic coast in the East, which is the world’s first ski region to make helmet wearing on the ski slopes a legal requirement for all skiers and boarders.

Most of Canada’s best known resorts internationally have come to global attention over just the past few decades as the world’s skiers and boarders have spotted that Canada offers some of the biggest ski areas in North America, the continent’s biggest lift-served verticals, great powder snow, friendly people and high value skiing.

Most famous of all of Canada’s ski resorts is of course is Whistler (Whistler Blackcomb), host to the 2010 Winter Olympics which is now one of the world’s most popular ski resorts with more than two million visitors annually and of course it has the biggest ski area in North America and its second biggest lift-served vertical.

But there have been ski areas in the country for at least a century and one of the world’s first dedicated ski lifts opened in Quebec in the late 1920s for the first people to Ski Canada. Quebec and neighbouring Ontario both have the most ski areas in one province in Canada with nearly 100 small to medium sized ski areas each. That puts them in the same bracket for number of ski areas as regions like Tyrol in Austria and Savoie in France.

There’s another French parallel for Quebec as it’s the only North American region where French is the first language for most of the population. What’s more you can often get higher value skiing and better homemade French food here than on the south side of the English Channel.

Indeed for families Canada is a high value proposition because resorts charge children only 20-40% of the adult price and throughout their childhood. This is another favourable comparison to France for example, where children are expected to pay 60-80% of the adult price from age 3 to 5 and the full adult price from age 12-13.

Quebec is home to several internationally well known ski areas, most noteworthy of which is Mont Tremblant – one of the world’s most popular destinations with nearly 4 million visitors., Its most recent attraction is a state-of-the-art casino.

North America’s oldest city, Quebec City, which recently celebrated its 400th birthday, is also here and a city and ski break is easy, with famous resorts like Le Massif Ski Area and Mont Sainte-Anne a short distance away by road or rail, offering great skiing above the mighty St Lawrence river.

Another interesting Quebecois ski region is known at the Eastern Townships and is located on the border with the US in the south of the country. Here small resorts like Mont Sutton offer skiing as they used to be with tradition and ambience.

But it’s Western Canada that is the main draw for international skiers with a dozen or more famous resorts. In BC, Kicking Horse only opened in 2000 but has built a reputation for its spectacular skiing and steep chutes, while Fernie is famed for its deep powder. The newest addition, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, overtook Whistler to offer the biggest lift-served vertical on the continent. Other major resorts include Big White, Panorama Mountain Village, Kimberley and Sun Peaks – all attracting a high proportion of international guests from the US, Australia and Europe.

Finally, Alberta and the Canadian Rockies have been a major international attraction since the Trans-Canadian railway arrived in the late 19th century, followed by the roads. Banff’s local ski areas of Banff Mt Norquay and Sunshine Village are more than 80 years old and located in some of North America and the world’s most spectacular scenery – the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

Other major areas here include Lake Louise, home to North America’s first World Cup competition each ski season, and also the first World Cup downhill races in the Northern Hemisphere. Head further north for 100 miles through the stunning glacial scenery on one of the world’s most spectacular drives and you reach another classic resort, Marmot Basin. All four are among the world’s most snowsure, open from early November to May.

Canada - BC: latest snow conditions round-up

CANADA It's been a quiet week in Canada for snowfall too with clear skies and low temperatures bringing some great days to enjoy the recent accumulations. Whistler Blackcomb (259/259cm) on the West Coast of BC continues to post the deepest base in the country after the huge snowstorms over the past month there, with December 2018 now officially their snowiest ever snowfall month.

Temperatures have dropped in the East too, and resorts in Quebec posted 20-40cm snowfalls over the weekend. The Massif du Sud (151/245cm) in Quebec is posting the second deepest base in the country. Full ReportEUROPEAN WEATHER OUTLOOK It seems a change is on the cards in the Alps with, for the first time in a month. More snow forecast in the Western Alps than the Eastern for the week ahead. The difference isn't huge, but it does appear that French ski areas will see more substantial snowfalls this weekend than further east as conditions generally remain âsnowy' for the next few days. Accumulations of 10-50cm of snow by the start of next week are forecast. The forecast for Austria, Germany, Eastern Switzerland and the Eastern Alps as a whole is currently the âleast snowy' it has been since before Christmas. Still is snow in the forecast for the week ahead, but much lighter falls and with clear days in between. After light snowfall on Thursday, Friday currently looks clear with more light snow likely at the weekend. Seven day accumulations are likely to only be in the 10-30cm bracket across the country. Probably a welcome respite for most if it pans out as forecast. Italy's forecast is looking closer to that of the Eastern Alps than the Western, with light or moderate snowfalls expected here over the rest of this week and into the weekend. Parts of the Dolomites should see another 20-30cm, and along western borders, with France, the country's ski areas may receive up to 40cm of snow over the next 4-5 days. Elsewhere in Europe, it looks like there could be more snow in the Pyrenees towards the weekend, hopefully, a little more in Andorra than last week, with 10-30cm possible. For Scotland, it is looking increasingly cold and wintery, so hopefully, it will not be long now until bases begin to build and get deep enough for ski areas to open.

Summary of forecast snowfall and ski conditions for resorts in Canada - BC. Fresh snow is forecast at 94 resorts. Powder is reported at 6 resorts and 13 are reporting good piste conditions.

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Recent Eyeball Snow Reports for Canada - BC

Light rain reported from Stewart Airport at 7 metres elevation one km ESE of Last Frontier Heliskiing - Ripley Creek but it is forecast cold enough for snow at the ski area
1 hour ago
from Last Frontier Heliskiing - Ripley Creek

Moderate rain reported from Vancouver at 180 metres elevation 9 kms ESE of Mount Seymour but it is forecast cold enough for snow at the ski area
2 hours ago
from Mount Seymour

Light rain reported from Vancouver at 180 metres elevation 9 kms ESE of Mount Seymour but it is forecast cold enough for snow at the ski area
3 hours ago
from Mount Seymour